IFC 2026: Spain to extend Hornets to bridge fifth-generation gap as it reconsiders future options

Spain’s Air and Space Force plans to retire its remaining Boeing EF-18 Hornets in stages between 2035 and 2040, extending their service beyond the previous 2030 target. An official outlined the revised schedule at the 2026 International Fighter Conference in Munich as Spain reassesses its options for a next-generation fighter for the 2040s. The extension will keep the Hornet in service alongside the Eurofighter EF-2000 after Spain decided against acquiring the F-35. Deliveries of 25 Halcón II Eurofighters are expected to allow the retirement of about half of the 91 Hornets that remained at the time of the briefing.